Malik Monk’s future in Sacramento is already starting to feel like a decision point, even though his player option doesn’t come up until June 29, 2027.
The Kings are expected to let the contract play out rather than push for an extension, and that puts Monk in a tricky spot. He has been in Sacramento since 2022, after stops in Charlotte and with the Lakers, and for a while he looked like exactly the kind of bench scorer every team wants: a player who can flip a game with a burst of offense. That role was recognized in 2024, when he finished as the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year.
Last season, though, things shifted. Doug Christie appeared less willing to lean on Monk night after night, and the result was a stretch of uneven minutes, plus multiple games where Monk didn’t play despite being healthy. That didn’t sit well with plenty of Kings fans, who have long embraced him as one of the more popular players on the roster.
The broader direction of the franchise doesn’t help Monk’s case, either. Scott Perry’s rebuild seems to be moving on without him, and as new players get drafted and signed, Monk has faded from the conversation. The Kings have also tried to trade him within the past year, another sign that his long-term place there may not be secure.
The money in the deal is right in the neighborhood of his value. Monk is set to make a little more than $20 million in 2026-2027, and if he picks up the option for 2027-2028, that number rises to more than $21 million. His market value is estimated to fall between $19 million and $25 million, which makes the contract reasonable - but not necessarily a reason to stay if the role keeps shrinking.
That’s why declining the option and testing free agency looks like the cleaner path. Monk will be 28 then, still early enough in his prime to land another meaningful deal, and a team in need of a spark off the bench could make a strong pitch. The Raptors, who need a good shooting guard, were mentioned as the kind of club that would be interested.
If Monk wants the best shot at a longer-term contract, the source of that opportunity may be somewhere other than Sacramento.
In Other News...
Kings Rebuild Just Reached A Spot Fans Often Overlook
The Kings offseason rebuild has moved beyond roster talk and into the kind of infrastructure changes that can shape a season just as much as a trade or signing. On Sept. 14, the team announced a significant overhaul of its coaching staff, promoting D.J. Ham to assistant coach and bringing in Joe Ajike as head of player development as it continues reshaping the people tasked with guiding the group day to day.
Jason Maxiell also moved up from the Stockton Kings to player development coach, while Brendan Suhr was added as an assistant coach and Imhotep Tap George came aboard as a coaching associate. It is the sort of behind-the-scenes reset fans can easily overlook, but for a franchise in the middle of a broader organizational rebuild, these are the hires that can determine how quickly the next version of the Kings starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Still Face One Big Sabonis Trade Decision
Sacramento has spent the offseason fielding the kind of trade chatter that follows any established star, but Domantas Sabonis has stayed put for one simple reason: the Kings are not treating him like a salary dump. Interest has surfaced from Charlotte, yet the asking price has been high enough that the two sides have not found common ground, with draft capital part of the discussion as Sacramento looks for positive value in return.
Jake Fischer reported that this has become a broader market issue, not just a one-team conversation. Other clubs have been hesitant to match the Kings demands or to give Sabonis the contract extension he wants, which leaves Sacramento in an awkward but familiar spot. For now, the Kings still have their All-Star center, and there is a growing sense they may choose continuity over a reset as they try to stay competitive through the 2026-27 season. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Expansion Draft Talk Puts Some Costly Veterans On Thin Ice
The NBAs reported target of adding two expansion teams in the 2028-29 season has already stirred up a familiar sort of roster anxiety around the league, and Sacramento is no exception. If an expansion draft were held now, each club could protect eight players, forcing front offices to make some uncomfortable choices about which veterans and rotation pieces they can live without.
Bleacher Reports early speculation on the Kings potential exposure included names such as Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Alex Karaban, Daeqwon Plowden and Ben Simmons, with contract situations, injuries and overall roster balance all part of the discussion. None of that is official, of course, but it does underline the kind of pressure an expansion draft can create, especially for a team trying to keep enough proven talent while still preserving flexibility. [Read more 🡒]